One Elgin resident died and one is hospitalized as a result of an apparent carbon monoxide leak from their heating system.
On Sunday just after 9am, members of the Elgin Fire Department responded to the 200 block of South Channing St. for a report of two occupants with flu symptoms.
Upon arrival, EFD personnel found two occupants on the second floor of the residence, one of which was dead. The other was found with elevated CO levels in their bloodstream. Fire crews transported the surviving resident to Provena Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin.
The home was ventilated to clear carbon monoxide levels which were over five hundred parts per million (50 million is considered safe), while personnel searched the remaining home for other occupants. Four uninjured dogs were found and turned over to family members who responded to the scene.
The home was red-tagged as it is uninhabitable, pending repairs to the heating unit. Natural gas to the structure was shut off and Code Enforcement was notified for follow-up. There were no firefighter injuries at the incident.
